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Household pumping station – equipment for the automated supply of water to a private house. It can supply water from any source: a well, a well, a central water supply system or a river. The advantage of installing such a device is a constant pressure in the plumbing system, which allows you to connect any household appliances.
Pumping stations for water supply of a private house or cottage consists of:
- pump;
- hydraulic accumulator;
- control and automation groups.
For its performance, a guaranteed power supply is required. The installation itself is autonomous and does not require intervention: water is supplied with constant pressure – there is a difference, but it is small and is not felt by the equipment, and even more so by consumers.
Pumping stations for water supply of a private house: the principle of operation
In modern pumping stations for water supply, hydraulic accumulators are installed, which are a cylindrical container divided into two parts by an elastic membrane. One part of the container is factory filled with gas. A certain pressure is created in this chamber.
When the pump is turned on, water enters the second part of the accumulator. The container is gradually filled, the membrane is stretched, compressing the gas in the second part even more. In this way, pressure is created in the water supply system of a private house (dacha). Its value is controlled by pressure switches. When the threshold value (about 2-4 atm) is reached, the sensors give a command to turn off the pump. While the valves in the system are not open, the pressure is stable, the pump no longer works.
Somewhere a faucet opens. Water enters it from a hydraulic accumulator, in which, as the flow rate, the pressure gradually drops. When the lower threshold is reached, the second sensor is triggered, which gives the command to start the pump, the water begins to flow again, equalizing the pressure. After the tap is closed, the pump runs for some time, then turns off.
Thus, a stable pressure is maintained in the system. This means that you can use any appliances in the house – including a washing machine, dishwasher and water heater. If desired, you can organize automated watering of the site or lawn.
Types and types, connection features
The main working part of this equipment is the pump. It is its type that determines their main technical characteristics. Let’s talk about pumps.
Surface and submersible
Most of the stations supplied from factories in assembled form are equipped with surface pumps. They are installed on the same frame with a hydraulic accumulator and a control group. A pipeline is connected to the pump, which is lowered into a source – a well, a well, etc. This option is good because it can be used in narrow wells – the pipe diameter can be from 32 mm, which is normal even for the narrowest well. But such systems can raise water from a depth of about 7-10 meters.
When installing such equipment, a filter and a check valve must be installed at the end of the supply pipeline immersed in water. A filter (mesh) is required, since pumps are demanding on water quality, and a check valve prevents water from draining while pumping is in progress. Without these two parts, the system works inefficiently.
If the well is deep, a submersible pump or installation with an external ejector is required. In this case, the ejector is lowered into the well or well, two hoses are connected to it. The rest of the equipment is on the surface. With such a system, water can rise from a depth of 40-45 meters.
The disadvantage of this system is that it does not like the presence of air in the pipes (hoses), which is why starting the system is a troublesome and responsible event.
Quiet and noisy
The internal design of the pumps also differs. The noise level during operation depends on their structure.
- Vortex. The suction force is created by the blades inside the body. These pumping water supply stations for the home are silent or very quiet, but they can only raise water from a shallow depth. They can and should be installed in residential buildings: they really do not like temperature changes, and when they freeze, they fail.
- Centrifugal pumps are noisy during operation, but they pump water from decent depths and can operate at different temperatures, therefore they can be installed in specially equipped pits.
How to bring water from a well or well into the house, read here.
Rules for installing a pumping station
Power supply is required for the operation of the pumping station. And this is one of the main criteria when choosing an installation site: you need to either put the station where there is power supply, or pull the line to where the station stands. But there are a number of other factors to consider:
- Equipment must be installed taking into account the distance to which water can be supplied.
- If you plan to use the system in winter, then the room in which the equipment is installed must be warm – the stations cannot stand frost. At the same time, there must be good ventilation in it so that condensate does not accumulate.
- If the pump is very noisy, and it is more convenient to install it in or near the house, it must be enclosed in a soundproof box.
Sometimes the best way out is to build a caisson – a small room, which is arranged at about a depth of 2,5 m. If the water intake comes from a well, then the casing pipe is cut off just above the bottom of the caisson. A pump is immersed in the well, which supplies water to the accumulator.
The equipment is installed below the freezing depth of the soil, which prevents it from freezing: the positive temperature is maintained inside. It is convenient then to lay the pipes below the freezing depth, and bring them out already under the house, in a warm non-freezing zone and supply water to the comb.
If for a house the device of a caisson is a justified expense, then for a summer residence it is unlikely. Then they make a simplified version – they build a small box or make a pit and put the equipment there for the spring-summer period, taking it to a heated room for the winter.
About the device of the water supply in the country is written in the article “How to make a water pipe in the country: choose pipes, a scheme, a laying method”
How to choose a pumping station for your home
In addition to pump types, when choosing pumping stations for the water supply of a private house, you need to pay attention to a number of parameters:
- Distance from the point of water intake to the installation of the pump. Specifies how close the equipment should be to the water source.
- The height of the rise of water – how far relative to the place of water intake it can be supplied. Please note that extended horizontal sections should also be taken into account.
- Productivity is the amount of water that can be supplied per unit of time. To calculate this parameter, you can use the average consumption rates depending on the type of consumer (see table).
By calculating the average flow, you can choose the performance of the pumping station - The volume of the accumulator. The larger its size, the more water you will have in stock in case of a power outage. But this is far from the most important point. More importantly, with large volumes, the pump is turned on less often, which means a longer service life. But a hydraulic accumulator is an expensive thing and the larger it is, the more expensive it is. Please note: Expansion tanks similar in structure, although they are cheaper, cannot be bought. They are not suitable for water (they are used to stabilize the pressure in gas pipelines) and quickly break down, besides, the water becomes undrinkable (an unpleasant smell and taste appears).
When choosing a model, it is worth paying attention to additional functions. A useful option is protection against overheating and idling (when there is no water). They extend the life of the equipment.
You can also choose a pump housing. It is made of steel, stainless steel, cast iron, high density polypropylene. Polypropylene – the most inexpensive. It does not rust, does not transmit noise during operation. But even though it is of increased density, it is plastic, and if handled carelessly (during transportation, for example), it can be damaged. The second most expensive is steel, but when using a centrifugal pump, the housing transmits noise, and sometimes also resonates. So these pumps work loudly. A similar one installed in cast iron is quieter. But with acidic water, cast iron quickly rusts, which is not good: there is usually an excess of iron in water. The most optimal in terms of durability is a stainless steel case, but they are the most expensive.
Read more about purifying water from a well or well here.
What to do if there is no station with the required characteristics? Collect yourself. All required parts are commercially available, everything is connected using conventional fittings. How – see the video below. A self-assembled pumping station is, by the way, cheaper than a fully assembled one, and it will be easier for you to repair it: you connected everything yourself.
Popular brands
The most popular water supply pumping stations for a private house today are Gileks Jumbo. They are low priced and good quality. They are produced with pumps made of cast iron (the letter “Ch” in the marking), polypropylene (it stands for “P”), and stainless steel (“H”). There are also numbers in the marking: “Jumbo 70-/50 P – 24. It stands for: 70/50 – maximum water flow 70 liters per minute (productivity), pressure – 50 meters, P – body made of polypropylene, and the number 24 – hydroaccumulator volume.
The price of a pumping station for water supply at home Gileks starts at $ 100 (mini options with low power and for low flow in a polypropylene case). The most expensive unit with a stainless steel case costs about $350. There are also options with a borehole submersible pump. They can lift water from a depth of up to 30 meters, flow rate up to 1100 liters per hour. Such installations cost from $450-500.
Gileks pumping stations have installation requirements: the diameter of the suction pipeline must be no less than the diameter of the inlet. If the water rises from a depth of more than 4 meters and at the same time the distance from the water source to the house is more than 20 meters, the diameter of the pipe lowered from the well or well must be greater than the diameter of the inlet. This must be taken into account when installing the system and piping the pumping station.
Reviews of JILEX JUMBO 60/35P-24 (in a plastic case, cost $130) you can see in the photo below. This is part of the impressions left by the owners on the trading site.
Grundfos pumping stations (Grundfos) work well with water supply at home. Their body is made of chrome steel, hydraulic accumulators for 24 and 50 liters. They work quietly and reliably, provide stable pressure in the system. The only drawback is that spare parts are not supplied to the Russian market. If, suddenly, something breaks, you will not find “native” elements. But it must be said that the units break down infrequently.
Prices for pumping stations with surface pumps start at $ 250 (power 0,85 kW, suction depth up to 8 m, capacity up to 3600 liters / hour, height 47 m). A more efficient unit (4500 liters per hour with a higher power of 1,5 kW) of the same class costs twice as much – about $500. Reviews of the work are presented in the format of a photo that was taken on the website of one of the stores.
A series of Grundfos pumping stations with stainless steel pump housings is more expensive, but they also have protection against idling, overheating, water cooling. The prices for these installations are from $450. Modifications with borehole pumps are even more expensive – from $ 1200.
The water supply pumping stations for the Wilo house (Vilo) have proven themselves well. This is a more serious technique for ensuring high flow: up to four normally suction pumps can be installed at each of the stations. The body is made of galvanized steel, the connecting pipes are made of stainless steel. Management – programmable processor, touch control panel. The performance of the pumps is smoothly regulated, which ensures a stable pressure in the system. The equipment is solid, but so are the prices – about $1000-1300.
How to make an autonomous water supply in a house connected to a centralized water supply, with poor pressure, or provide yourself on an ongoing basis with hourly water supply, see the following video. And all this with the help of a pumping station and a water storage tank.